we didn't learn anything new about Kovalev

It was the same fighter last night. Just a weak opponent. Kov is done as far and evolving.

 

I thought kov looked like he was supposed to against a solid bit limited opponent. He will still have his issues versus a very cerebral boxer who can frustrate him. Fortunately for Sergey it looks as if the powers that be want to set him up versus Artur and Bivol both excellent offensive fighters with little to decipher....should make for some explosive fights.

 

Kovalev...Damned if you do, Damned if you don't ...Sigh

 

Figured you out, a troll who likes the sound of his own voice...Figuratively speaking lol

 

What did he get out of this Shanransky fight, a confidence boost? Reinforcement that his power is lethal?

 

No doubt, same animal and same prey. One thing he did do and that was the body work, he learned that the hard way and it only bears witness to his respect for Ward whether he wants to acknowledge it or not. People want to jump on that gift fight and proclaim that Kovalev is resurrected with a brand new game plan when in fact he's made no major changes. He is still whining about Ward.

 

Regardless though, Kovalev deserves credit for getting back to a similar level to where he was before. It would have been very easy for him to sulk and be inactive for ages and look like a shell of himself after the Ward losses.

 

I agree, but he needs to keep Ward's name out of his mouth and double down on his comeback.

 

i've read a lot of comments from a lot of posters who love to criticise andre ward (great fighters have always been, and always will be, fighters some love to hate).
yet I find it very telling in this thread that kovalev is no longer portrayed as this unstoppable wrecking ball as he once was before fighting ward, but as a fighter who is "picking himself up", with question marks over his stamina, heart, punch resistance and so on.
if ward doesn't deserve credit for either of the kovalev victories, then which fighter is to be credited for bursting the 'kovalev bubble'?

 

he has power. so what.

 

Kovalev looked good and still is the best at light heavy and IMO he beats all the champs I dont think bivol will give him a tough fight at all I think no he could maybe make super middle

 

Agreed, but he's doing better than I expected.

For the last month he's also saying the right things again (after being pretty sore / obsessed about the Ward fights for a while).

Another thing, he came in at 174 lb making weight easily for a change ... a good sign. And I was expecting him to look far more demotivated. It wasn't his best performance but I was pleasantly surprised. A good Kovalev at LHW makes the division richer.

 

exactly. that ship has sailed and Ward came out on top. This is not the same as Hearns/Leonard because Ray was losing the first fight and get swelled up and lost the last fight in 1989. Ward won two times.

 

The timing and power was still there, we learned that. But yeah, we can't be sure his stamina will be better in a long fight, and he can finish close fights against guys like Gvozdyk, Beterbiev, and Bivol well. At his age we can't assume hydrating better in training camp will improve his stamina till we see it.

 

It’s funny watching these Turds get uncomfy about Kovalevs return though. They know deep down that if anybody was “exposed” over this past year... it was Ward and not Kovalev And Sergey’s career has resumed with a bang and that POS abomination Ward has punched his own ticket knowing EVERYONE is on to his sleazy, deck stacking ways. If anyone is “done” (Like our stupid sci fi badass wannabe put it) it’s Ward.

Plus we know he isn’t coming back to face the new murderers row at 175.